Create S4 class definition based on XML node(s)

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Description

This function is used to create an S4 class definition
by examining an XML node and mapping the sub-elements
to S4 classes. This works very simply with child nodes
being mapped to other S4 classes that are defined recursively in the
same manner. Simple text elements are mapped to a generic character string.
Types can be mapped to more specific types (e.g. boolean, Date, integer)
by the caller (via the types) parameter.
The function also generates a coercion method from an
XMLAbstractNode to an instance of this new class.

This function can either return the code that defines the class
or it can define the new class in the R session.

Arguments

the name of the new top-level class to be defined.
This is the name of the XML node (without the name space)

where

typically either an environment or NULL.
This is used to control where the class and coercion method are
defined
or if NULL inhibits the code being evaluated. In this
case, the code is returned as strings.

Value

A list with 4 elements:

name

the name of the new class

slots

a character vector giving the slot name and type name pairs

def

code for defining the class

coerce

code for defining the coercion method from an
XMLAbstractNode to an instance of the new class

If where is not NULL, the class and coercion code
is actually evaluated and the class and method will be defined
in the R session as a side effect.